RESIDENTS were invited to enjoy a lunch fit for royalty, when catering students brought a flavour of the Queen’s 90th birthday celebrations to their plates.

In honour of Her Majesty’s birthday, students at East Berkshire College, in Station Road, Langley, served a special lunch menu celebrating classic British cuisine, from coronation chicken and shepherd’s pie to Queen of Puddings and sherry trifle, on Tuesday and Wednesday last week. The menu even included a complementary glass of Pimms Royale to toast the occasion.

Patriotic diners packed out the college’s Zest restaurant to fly the flag for British cuisine. A group of 19 ladies, who all belong to the Holy Family Catholic Church, were dining in the restaurant on Wednesday to celebrate birthdays of two friends as well as the Queen’s big day.

Phyllis Farnan, aged 84, from Langley, who received a telegram from the Queen to mark her sixtieth wedding anniversary about two years ago, said: “The lunch was a wonderful way to celebrate the Queen’s birthday. All the food was lovely, but I particularly enjoyed the sherry trifle. I’ve been to the restaurant three or four times now and everyone is always very friendly.”

Fellow diner, Bernadette Bates, added: “It was a good idea to have a British menu to mark the Queen’s birthday. We have all had a great afternoon. The food was very tasty and beautifully presented. We last visited the restaurant in January and it is getting better and better.”

Providing a real work environment for students, the Zest restaurant, which is part of East Berkshire College’s Hospitality and Catering Academy, is open to the public and serves a range of delicious seasonal dishes at competitive prices. All food is cooked and served by talented students under the supervision of industry-trained staff.

As well as lunch, Zest holds a range of special theme nights throughout the year to showcase foods from around the world, from classic Spanish dishes to mouth-watering Caribbean cuisine. For details or to book a table, please visit eastberks.ac.uk/zest or call 01753 793344.